Episode 41
'''Barf-michi's Big Fight '''is the 41st episode of the Hajime no Ippo anime, and it was released on July 18, 2001. Summary Kamogawa informs his boxers that the idol, Kumiko Morita will be coming to the gym to interview the fighters. As soon as she arrives, the gym members begin to show off their skills in order to impress the idol. Ippo, jealous at first, decides to concentrate on his next fight, and begins training. As he is the only serious person there, he is chosen to spar against Kumiko. After the interview is over and the reporters leave, the fighters watch their interviews on TV. Not realizing the meaning of it, Ippo states on the national broadcast, that he wants to fight the JBC featherweight champion Date Eiji. He gets nervous when they inform him that he just sent a challenge. On the TV, they notice that here is another interview at the Otowa Boxing Gym featuring Russian boxer Alexander Volg Zangief, who states that he is after Date's belt as well. The day of Yamada's pro test, Ippo is the only member of the gym to accompany him. Upon arrival, they lose the little confidence they had when they hear a group of participants underestimating both of them, as they believe Ippo to be taking the test as well. After the written test is over, Ippo goes looking for Yamada, as the latter is missing from the group. Yamada is nervously reviewing what he has learned in the bathroom, and with the help of Ippo, is able to relax. When the test begins, Yamada is easily outclassed by his opponent, which causes a couple of men watching the fight, to laugh and repeatedly make fun of Yamada. Annoyed by this, Ippo is about to get into a fight with the two men, but is interrupted by Yamada, who knocks his opponent down, successfully passing the test and becoming a professional boxer. After Yamada successfully passes his pro test, he is congratulated by the other members of the gym, and they walk back together. At the gym, Kamogawa informs them that Aoki, Ippo and Kimura will be participating in the Class A Tournament in order to get a chance at a JBC title. Yagi also informs them that Sendou will not be in the featherweight class and neither will Mashiba, who is now junior lightweight. It also appears that some of the participants retired when they got news of Volg's participation. Once he arrives home, Ippo asks his mother if she can handle the work alone so he can go to the training camp Takamura suggested. She tells him to not worry and go. The next day at the gym, Ippo is training with Kamogawa when Yagi informs him that his mother collapsed and is in the hospital. After hearing the news about his mother, Ippo immediately heads to the hospital to check on her. Upon arrival, he is informed that she simply fainted due to anemia cause by overworking and that she will be there for a month. Realizing that she has been doing all the work while he has fun at the gym, Ippo feels guilty and apologizes to his unconscious mother. Category:Anime Episodes Category:Season 1 Episodes